Raising Eleanor

6

CHAPTER 6 - BACK TO HOGWARTS

Snows have melted, Hogwarts stood in its glory with the sun bathing the magnificent castle. Everyone is back by the school, all eager to continue their year at Hogwarts.

"How's your holiday?" asked Elaine, seated on the edge of her bed as Maria came by with her trunk. "Very boring, don't ask." sighed Maria as she put her belongings back to her side of the room.

"Fine," she replied, but quietly she casted legilimency on her friend, waving her wand behind her back. Seems impossible, but it worked nevertheless. "Did you do your homework though?" smirked Elaine as she somehow knew Maria was too engrossed by talking about her lame holiday break that she completely forgot to do her schoolwork.

"Wait! Oh no! OH NO!" she shrieked, her head's swarming with worry that Elaine had to stop casting the spell, it was a bit overwhelming to be in her friend's mind at this moment. She knew she wasn't supposed to enter people's head, but at least it helped Maria remember.

"Oh Gods, I wouldn't mind if it's for charms class. But no, I forgot about my potions essay!" She digs her books from her school back, retrieving her quill and an empty parchment.

"You can copy mine if you like," Elaine digs out her own essay, offering it to her distressed friend. "No way! Are you out of your mind? Your father would have my head if he knew I copied yours." she thrust the essay back to Elaine, declining her only life saving opportunity.

"I need to go to the library," whispered Maria as suddenly she dashed away from the dorm. "Maria wait!" Elaine turns to run along and follows Maria to the library.

Her feet landed in front of the library doors, she knew the librarian, Madam Pince wouldn't like it if she made some noise whilst entering the room. As the coast was clear, she could see several students scattered around the library, some taking their seats on the long reading table provided in the middle of the room.

She couldn't spot Maria anywhere. As she turned around the corner, she collided with a frustrated Hermione, desperately searching for something among the pile of books that sits right in front of her. "Hey Hermione, do you need any help?"

"Oh, Hi Elaine! Didn't notice you there." She slammed the book shut that she was recently reading, and proceeded to put it back on the shelf.

"I'm trying to find a book about Nicholas Flamel." stated Hermione, still annoyed but her eyes kept looking up and down for a mention of that name. However, that name sounds familiar to Elaine's ear.

"The famous Alchemist?" asked Elaine which made Hermione freeze in her tracks, "The what? How do you-"

"Getting quite informed with my father's private library back at home." winked Elaine, gesturing Hermione to follow her. She knew exactly where Hermione had to look for. After all, Nicholas Flamel is an alchemist, a rare subject not taught as part of the Hogwarts curriculum.

The trios were looking for someone still living so likely not much older than Dumbledore, and they were looking in the wrong places.

Hermione started looking in recent history and expanded her search into more and more esoteric areas, mistakenly sending Harry to infiltrate the library's restricted section. What she didn't think to do was to look further back in history.

"The historic Nicholas Flamel was born in around 1340 I believe," stated Elaine as she pulled out several books in the alchemy section, making Hermione feel like a fool as she didn't realize this from the beginning. And almost getting Harry into trouble that Christmas night.

"He discovered the Philosopher's Stone and subsequently the Elixir of Life." she flipped a specific giant book, looking for the right pages to show Hermione that Elaine had read about this man before.